Heat, humidity make LI Marathon a rough road to travel

Dan McGrath was proud to accept the title of Long Island Marathon winner after he huffed and puffed across the finish line Sunday at Eisenhower Park, but he was quick to admit that the race's toughest competitors were the heat and humidity.

"Today was one of those tougher days," said McGrath, 27, of Lynbrook, dripping with sweat. "It was tough for everyone."

The 6,500 registered marathon and half-marathon racers faced a heat index that topped out around 85 degrees, race officials said, and made for a busy day at the race's medical tent.

Twenty racers - 11 more than last year - were taken to a hospital because of heat exhaustion and dehydration, said Dr. Ed Fryman, the race's medical director. None appeared to be in serious medical danger, he said.

About 80 medical volunteers helped more than 320 ailing runners throughout the day, Fryman said. The vast majority of cases were heat-related woes such as dehydration and nausea, he said.

While the high heat and humidity were less than ideal for any marathon, the conditions were especially troubling because of the dramatic jump in temperature compared to recent weeks, Fryman said. Most of the racers had been training in cool weather, he said, adding that hot weather requires runners to drink more water.

"People have been training in the winter. They are not prepared," Fryman said.

Michael Nehr, of West Babylon, who won Sunday's half-marathon, said he was thankful for the water stations along the course, but still thought he "was going to pass out - it was tough out there."

Nehr added: "The heat, we're not used to it."

The medical staff at the race included nurses, athletic trainers and physical therapists, most of whom were stationed at the busy medical tent, which hosted woozy and exhausted runners. Volunteers roamed the rest of the course with walkie-talkies, looking for ailing racers.

Fryman said he might request more ambulances on standby next year because about a half-dozen on hand Sunday were kept busy throughout.

"It all depends on the weather," he said.

Marathon runner Grant Radtke, of East Meadow, spent the aftermath of the race reclining on a cot in the medical tent. He was dehydrated and needed to cool off after a hot day of running.

"A lot of hard miles," he said. "I drank water at every stop, but the heat just took its toll."